Seasonal Change

Hawaii has no daylight savings time. For those of us accustomed to 4 distinct seasons, Hawaii's minuet seasonal changes may slip by unnoticed. Here is the transition from Summer to Fall, in three photos.




Did you catch that dramatic change between the death of the Summer flowers and the birth of the Fall flowers? No! What a surprise .....

I love it here!

Interesting Fact

Oahu is the same size as the city of Houston, Texas. That's about half the size of the state of Rhode Island.

Airfare to Oahu

You want low air fare to Hawaii? Don't wait for the last minute. Make your plans well in advance. Another little trick: use the online discount sites like Travelocity and Expedia, but call the airlines directly themselves -- especially if you're not buying a package. Remember, those online sites have to make money, too. They charge a markup above and beyond what the airline is really selling that seat for. Try a little wheeling and dealing on your own, you just might save some money.

To ensure the cheapest airfares,always plan your trip so that your departure and return are both on weekdays -- Monday thru Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the most expensive travel days so try to avoid them. Holiday flights are always more expensive.

Honolulu Airport (HNL)was not built to service the volume of traffic it receives, but even so they have a pretty smooth system. There are courtesy vans to and from a very large variety of services and destinations on the island. Each courtesy van has assigned "stops" that are very well marked outside the terminal. The city bus also services the airport, although large bags/suitcases are not allowed on board.

The airport is extensive, so there may be quite a walk between the arrivals gate, baggage claim and transportation. Wear comfortable shoes or make advance arrangements for assistance.

Makaha Beach

This is what happens on Oahu when there is a high surf warning:



everybody goes to the beach!

Hawaiian Roast Pig

Moist. Delicious. Smoky.

Traditional roast pig is a luau dish. The pig is wrapped in lualua (taro) leaves, lowered into a pit and slow barbecued for hours. Nowadays the pig is more often roasted in a crock pot for 6-8 hours, even so, it remains an island delight. It is traditionally served with long rice, poi, and/or sweet potatoes. Hawaiians don't believe in eating until they're full, they believe in eating until they are tired!

My first taste of Kalua Pig was heavenly and that was all I got -- a taste. One bite just isn't enough. I determined to research the recipe, but before I had a chance I wandered near a wedding party in the Kapolei Park and they offered me a plate of Kalua Pig for a small price. I paid.

It's a bit salty, but definately yummy. If you're in Hawaii this is a "must taste" item.

Local Flavor

Every Saturday morning the aroma drifts into my home from the neighbor's place. It's almost enough to make me want to go knock on their door and invite myself to breakfast. Fortunately, for the sake of my pride, I always keep a chub of Portuguese Brand Sausage in the freezer so that if my will power deserts me I don't have to go begging.

Despite its name, Portuguese Brand Sausage is made in Hawaii. It is also on the menu of many of the local restaurants, but don't get it in the restaurant. They'll only serve you three or four little slices. Go to the grocery store and pay about a $1.25 for a 5 ounce chub.


Portuguese Brand Sausage comes fully cooked with spicy ratings from mild, to medium, to hot. I buy the hot sausage because I have found that Hawaiian spices are much more mild then Mexican spices -- however, that doesn't mean their foods lack flavor or savor.

Try it. If you can't find any in your local supermarket pop on over to Hawaii and check the meat counter in most any store. It's certain to be on the shelf.


Btw, this is NOT a paid advertisement.